1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a disk cartridge, for example, most applicable to a floppy-disk, and more particularly is directed to a shutter thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A previously proposed floppy-disk cartridge has been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid Open Patent No. 58-169379. Such a cartridge comprises a case in which a floppy disk is rotatably accommodated as a recording medium, a shutter slidably secured to the case to enable a head insertion opening to be opened and closed, and a torsion spring or a tension coiled spring for urging the shutter in a direction of closing the head insertion opening, both ends of the spring being engaged with the case and one end of the shutter, respectively.
When the floppy-disk cassette is out of use, the shutter is slidingly moved to the closed position thereof by the force of the spring to close the head insertion opening, so that the case.
When the cassette is to be used, the shutter is moved to the opened position thereof against the force of the spring, which urges the shutter in the direction for closing the head insertion opening when the cassette is inserted in a floppy disk driving apparatus. Thus, the head insertion opening is opened. Thereafter a magnetic head is inserted into the case through the head insertion opening to record information in, or reproduce information from, the floppy disk.
However, in the floppy-disk cartridge described above, the spring for closing the shutter is not an integral part of the shutter, so that the number of parts and the steps required for assembly of the cartridge increase. Particular in floppy-disk cartridges on the market, the spring is set inside the case, whereas the shutter is fitted outside the case. Thus it is impossible to set up the shutter simultaneously with the spring. The shutter and the spring must be separately secured to the case and then engaged with each other, so that it is troublesome and the assembly of the cartridge is complicated.